To any subscribers still watching, as promised, I'm here to let you know that I have been published!

A short story of mine, titled "The Line", has been included in a wolf themed anthology printed by the Wolfwatchers Coalition. The proceeds go to pro-wolf goals, and I am but one of many writers, poets, and artists included in this collection.

Even so, that first time is the hardest to achieve. Now I have something to add to query letters. Now my work can be seen. And with one, more will come in time. "Luna, the Lone Wolf" is, for all intents and purposes, finished. It just needs a home. With this first publication, the chances of me finding a home for it grow significantly.

For now though, do purchase a copy of the anthology via the link below. We don't get any money out of this. But we do get exposure. Last year's anthology was #1 on Amazon for a month. If that happens again, it could lead to so much for all of us. So share the link. Read the anthology. View the art. Then tell your friends about it. Let's see if we can keep it at #1 for TWO months this time.

I've tried my best, but my readership has slowly dwindled. Not sure why, but I guess in the end it doesn't matter now.

For the time being, I'm going to stop my regular posts. I may post about something that made significant impact, and when publication finally happens, I'll post about that too. So those of you still reading, please subscribe. You'll be alerted to any new posts.

This isn't a total surrender. Publication WILL happen. How? When? I don't know yet, but it will happen. It's just a matter of time.

Ah the end of the year approaches. Maxed out credit cards for Christmas, large meals with family on the way, and soon we'll all have to remember to write "15" when filling out dates. That one always takes me a couple weeks to get into the swing of.

But while many are making new years resolutions, I prefer to look back. To reflect on the year, and my golly what a year! There were bits and events, but one stands out.

At first I wasn't sure it was even possible. The first thing I would need is good artwork to be made into promotional materials. Images of my main characters for people to see and, hopefully, fall in love with immediately. Only that would require funds I didn't have. Not for the quality I wanted. Then as luck would have it, the PERFECT artist fell into my lap. A random search, a random viewing, a little bit of digging, and there was KFCemployee. Someone with the style I wanted, the quality I needed, and a price I could afford! The rest fell into place soon after.

Ah yes, the grind toward my Kickstarter campaign. My efforts to self-publish my first novel. With commissions in, I had to find places to make the art into something people would want. A good cover was a nice bonus. Another random thought became an idea, which grew into a plan, then a plot, then finally a prequel I never expected to write. Guess my pre-readers got their wish (another story in the same world), just not the way they expected.

I dug, I wrote, I tried, I prepared, I slept very little. Finally, my Kickstarter campaign was launched. "Luna, the Lone Wolf" would get the funding it needed to be read and enjoyed!

...... As I like to say, desire and ability do not always coincide. The Kickstarter failed. It's been a pile of rejection letters since, though the art has continued to come, and I may yet have some plans for it. Sooner or later the novel will be published as well. Be it self-published or through a traditional market, I'll find a way. I haven't given up on it in the slightest.

Still, I learned a lot from that one event. I did from others too, but the Kickstarter campaign taught me the most. Did I rush it? Perhaps. Could I have done better? Almost certainly. Was it a waste? Not at all. I'm not sure I'd change anything, for what I got out of it may yet make me better in ways I've yet to to notice. For one thing, I got a number of people, new and old, voicing concern over my well being when it eventually came up short. I won't lie, that was nice. Almost worth it on it's own in a way.

So now I turn to you, my readers. What was your highlight? Not just in your own life. Was there a particular post of mind that touched you more than others? Something I said that resonated? Is there a topic you'd have liked to see me talk about? Something about me, or my journey, or whatever, you'd like to see my thoughts on?

I'd love to hear from you. If I'm honest, I need to hear from you. My stat page says I have readers, but it'd be nice to hear from you more than just your presence being counted. It doesn't have to be public. You can send me a message via the "contact" tab. Only I see those. Same with my e-mail. Just drop a line to forestwells@yahoo.com. Again, only I will see it, but it will warm me deeply to hear back from you, my loyal readers.

That's all for now. Till next time, may you life be filled with cherished moments which leave deep impressions on your heart.

Okay, first off I have a box of canes here for anyone now feeling old because of the title. I know I am.

Now then. I was just reading a friend's post about how twice before she'd let opportunities slip by because she was shy. "I'd be intruding." "There will be a next time." These were the excuses given. Except there never was a next time, in either case. A chance to speak with someone she cared about, or was simply a big fan of, got away. She didn't let it happen again, and was rewarded with a nice conversation with another person whose work she admired.

I couldn't help thinking back on some of the things I'd done in the past. Times I hadn't passed on the chance, and was glad I didn't.

I've talked before about my relationship with Jane Lindskold. While I still see her as a mentor, she's a dear friend first. I can't imagine my writing life without her in it. And yet, how easily I could have missed out on it. It was on a pure whim that I sent her my feedback on her Firekeeper novels. I was VERY young emotionally back then, and also very shy. I almost didn't. Yet from that one e-mail, a deep relationship has grown.

Then there's my gaming faction, Nemesis. I never shared this story, but I had been looking for a new faction after the one I was in... well... it was collapsing, and in an ugly way I might add. It was time to move on. But I couldn't level up fast enough to get into the faction I wanted. They kept raising it faster than I could raise my own. So I looked elsewhere.

While watching some players fight against each other, I saw one player who seemed good in battle, but also appeared to be good natured about it. Oh there was some trash talk, but there always is, and he wasn't abusive or insulting. Their faction was doing decently enough in the territory wars, so, after about nine tries, I got around to asking him about joining.

I spent three years in Nemesis, and it made such a mark I made a patch and wrote a poem when they disbanded, this time in the best way possible. Got half the faction crying too from what I hear.

Twice, major events in my life happened because I took a chance. I was shy back then. Extremely shy. Talking to a player online is one thing. There is a certain disconnect that can make that easier sometimes. But a random letter to an author? Oh she must get hundreds of letters, why would she bother to even read mine? A reply? Forget it! Oh it might be some simple "thank you for your interest, I'm glad you liked my novel, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." No way it would be a personal message of any kind.

Just think what I would have missed, had I listened to those doubts.

It's easy to do though. We convince ourselves it's not worth it, and at times, for decent sounding reasons. Then again, what will we really lose? There's a difference between demanding a raise at work, and trying to talk to someone you think highly of. How often do you get to meet your favorite author, actor, or sports star? You know I actually shook Philip Rivers' hand once? He was coming in while I was waiting for a tour of the San Diego Chargers facility to start. I held my hand out, left it up to him. He stopped, offered a quick, "Hi, nice to meet you," with the shake, then kept going. He felt in a hurry, and I didn't push. Still, I got to shake the hand of my favorite football team's starting Quarterback. Not many can say that.

Now what if he had ignored me? What would that have cost? Not a lot. And I was ready for him to resist for any number of reasons. Playing pro football is a busy job. I could understand him passing by, especially if he's running late, or maybe he hurt his hand in practice that day.

Though back to the more "normal" for a second. The idea of "I don't want to intrude" can be valid, but it's not enough on it's own to pass up a chance you may never get again. Now if you get hints that whoever it is would rather not talk, for whatever reason, then you back off. Otherwise, take a chance. Don't be shy. That chance may never come again.

Had I not waited so long, I might have gone to prom with a date. I had a crush then. Today, had I the chance, I'd still think very highly of her. Would it have gone further had I asked her back then? Maybe. I'll never know now.

Thankfully, I didn't wait on Nemesis or Jane Lindskold. For as long as I live, I'll be glad I didn't.

And so it begins. Trading the shorts and light T-shirts for long pants and jackets. Changing over from the AC to the heater. Yup, it's the cold time. Fall, with Winter on the way.

Of course Winter to me is highs in the 60's and lows in the 30's, which explains with good reason why so many people come to the Coachella Valley this time of year, but I digress.

The point is, we're moving into a time of year that somehow invokes strong emotions. I'm not talking about the joys of whatever holidays you celebrate. I mean... well... let me put it this way;

Jacob hung his coat on the rack. It still held a layer of snow on it, as did his hair, which he fluffed off like cleaning a duster. Already his body was relaxing as the bitter cold was traded for the warmth of his home. It seeped into his bones, melting tension as if too were ice not yet thawed. He left his boots in the mud room, slipped his wool-socked feet into his deer slippers, and let his ears guide him. As usual, his wife had two things waiting for him; The sweet smell of fresh bread, and the soft cracks of a fire. The latter was his guide, the former would come later, though his mouth watered when he thought of the wonderful, buttery tastes yet to come. For now, he went straight for the den, put his feet up next to the glow of the fire, and let his day fall away into the pages of his favorite book.

You don't get that in the summer. I mean let's face it, when it's 115 degrees outside, "cozy" is not a word you think of. In that time of year, Jacob is heading for the fridge looking for iced tea or ice cream.

Still, what is it about winter that hold so much more emotion? In the summer it's all, "Oh yeah! Let's go party!" Winter, it's more like, "let's spend a quite night reading by the fireplace."

Interesting difference isn't it? And it doesn't stop there, at least not for me. Generally, I prefer the heat. My plans have me staying in the South-West because I prefer Summer highs in the hundreds and Winter lows in the 30's. Okay, full disclosure, it's that second one I care about, still, there are things about the cold I like too. For example, I couldn't recreate it if I tried, but there are times when the air can be like ice. I don't mean cold. I mean, the air is crisp and cool, and it feels oddly smooth. The best I can describe it is; imagine what ice feels like. The smoothness, the crisp texture, the almost rigidity of it. Now imagine being able to walk through air that felt exactly like that. Not ice cold, just... ice texture. I don't know. I usually prefer it warm but that crisp air... I love it!

You don't get that in the summer. There's very little about summer heat to like. Beyond the excuse to get in the water of course. Though even then, I do like how the warmth seeps in sometimes. But then, winter just compounds that too. You come in from the cold, walk into a warm house, and the change melts stress with the temperature. Add a fireplace, and you've got a recipe for a very nice evening. Oh yeah, warm food, warm drinks, in particular hot chocolate, again, not things you strive for in 115. Warm bread in the Summer just tastes really good and smells really good. Warm break in the Winter, it seeps into your soul, provides more than a simple addition to a meal. It's the food of the season, and for good reason. It just comes off better in the cold. Just as ice cream comes off better in the summer.

Not much more to say I'm afraid. Life got in the way, and I'm sorry to say I won't be able to post this time.Don't worry. I'll be back on the 21st. For now, just think good thoughts for me.Thank you for your patience.

Continuing my theme this month, today I will be putting forward the other side of the coin. This time, I'll be covering the elements of gaming I think may be a negative or even a hazard if not paid attention to.

Again, this is by no means intended to be law. I am offering my observations, experiences, and personal opinions on the matter. I hope you will read objectively, and at the end, share your thoughts, be they in agreement or disagreement with the following statements.

This post, I'll be focusing on several aspects of playing video games I think can be rather harmful if not watched for. You can find my post about things I think are beneficial here.

Social Skills

“Wait, which is it? Good or bad?”

Well, both. To learn social skills you really need to use them. You can learn some lessons from online gaming, but it only goes so far. To really learn, you have to be, well, social. Go out. Meet real people, or at the very least interact with them in some way. Gaming is a start, but it can't match the interaction with real people. Even the best of voice chat online won't allow for the back-and-forth you get in person. You say something funny, the best you'll get is "LOL", either in text or spoken (often pronounced "laul") after they've gotten up off the floor. Anything else would kill the conversation. Text only, now you often miss the chance to make your point or say what you wanted to say because while you were typing, the conversation went on without you, or took a turn that invalidated what you were going to say. In person, it's more fluid and adaptable. Plus you get to see your friend rolling on the floor after your punch-line.

In addition, in the online world, social mistakes have very little consequence. You don't get the shock that teaches you what things you can or can't do because in the online world, reactions can often be quite muted. You piss someone off, well that’s too bad, but the most they’ll do is not run with you in squads, or if you do player vs player games, he might target you when he sees you. All in all, not a big deal, though some games are starting to develop ways for the jerks to be found and punished. In real life, you may not get off that well. A miss-step in the real world can cost you a friend, a sale, a date, a break, or much worse. However it come, the error becomes a lesson that stays with you, makes you better. You insult your faction leader online, there will always be another you can go to if you get kicked out. You insult your boss, you get fired from your job, then you may have a hard time finding another, especially if they know why you were fired. Even if you find another easily, the mistake will still cost you current employment. Chances are such an error will not be made again. Lesson learned, all-be-it painfully.

On the flip-side of that, you don't get to see the positive first-hand. There's nothing better than seeing someone's face light up when you've cheered them up, or given them their first laugh in days, or sparked an idea that gets them excited. Oh you might see the results online. A couple tips on combat change a guy from dying every minute to the one making the kills, but it's like seeing a report card change. Okay, warm feelings, yet not the same when you see them light up and realize they can do it. Maybe for the first time, they really believe in themselves, because of you! You don't get to see that change online. You do in person.

It’s not all sunshine and roses in the real world. If you don’t listen and learn, you’ll learn that the hard way. That and how fun is it to only have friends you meet online? How fun is it hanging out with the ones you see in person? Both can be nice, but I bet the in-person is better.

Time Sink

Yeah, it’s a distraction. Sometimes a good one. But if one is not careful, what was supposed to be a “quick battle” turns into hours of farming (doing things to in-game gather materials/money), questing, and other activities that eat up your day. Suddenly, your day is gone, and you did nothing productive. Now I have allowed myself a day to do exactly that when I really needed a day off. We’ve all done that in our own way. The down-side comes when it’s not planned, and not controlled. A quick quest is fine. One that keeps you from doing anything productive, not so much.

You can also run the risk of coming away from it in the wrong state of mind. The right battle could leave you juiced like you just scored the winning touchdown of the Super Bowl (been there, felt it, man that’s fun!... err, the feeling, not the Super Bowl). This over-excitement can get in the way of things. Or, if the battle goes horribly wrong, now you’re in a rotten mood (been there too). It’s a risk, though life as a whole is risky too. Still, it can be a problem if not managed properly.

Money Sink

You’d better sit down for this. Ready? Okay.

The very best gear you can get in Perfect World International is called “Rank 9”, or “R9”. It’s a set of armor pieces, a belt, and a very powerful weapon. It is not easily farmable (obtained by playing the game). Technically you could do it. Some have. It just takes many many many hours to do so (file this one under the previous note). Most elite gamers however, use real money to get it. Guess the price tag. Go on. Guess.

Guess in? Here’s the real answer.

$1,700

*Change to infomercial mode.* Wait, there’s more! That’s not including gems to give you extra stats, or refinement orbs to make the gear better (each level increases damage or Health Points bonus ect). To achieve what’s known as “Full R9 +12 (refinement)”, it will only cost you $2,500. That’s what it takes to get the very best gear possible. But wait! There’s more! Then there are all kinds of other things you really can only get with real money. Mounts, flight gear, vanity pets, fashion (you’re going to war in a Cinderella dress, or a swim suit, for $10-$20 each), the list goes on, and on, and on. Buy now! *End infomercial mode.*

Yeah, you can already see where that can go wrong. I’ve heard players talk about spending over $10,000 on the game. Think about that. Can you imagine having that kind of cash to throw around? Makes you wonder where they get it. Now some do so incrementally and well with-in their budget. Our faction leader for example had the funds to afford such an expense. So for those people, no harm done. They can handle it.

That said, one who is not so wealthy could lose control and spend far more than they can afford on such things. Some no doubt have. Even I’m guilty of heading down that road before I caught myself. This must be watched, or you won’t have any money to do other things with.

Addiction

It needs to be said. It’s very easy to lose yourself in the digital world (insert Digimon music). Time passes, things go undone, and you find you’re spending more time on your computer than where you should be. The money goes there too, when it really should go elsewhere. Unchecked, this can become a serious problem. So be careful with your gaming habits. It’s a lot of fun, but can be hazardous if not watched.

Remember what I said about social skills? What if you're playing so much you never go out? Not once. I've heard of people playing for 18 hours straight, multiple days! Which by the way, brings about it's own problems. You sit in the same position that long, you can develop blood clots, which can be fatal. It's happened. Some guy does nothing but game all day, he sits still for so long a clot forms in his leg, it travels up to his heart, heart attack, a death he won't be coming back from follows.

Others have gone hours without going to the bathroom, or eating/drinking anything. I think we can all imagine the hazards there. Don't get me wrong. I've talked about my "gamer's bladder" a few times. I'll fight a good two-hour battle without so much as a twinge. Then when it's over, it becomes "gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now". Which by the way, I do. The battle ends, and I instantly type in "brb" (Be Right Back), followed by a dash for the bathroom (ahhhhhhh). This becomes an issue when you don't take a break for twelve or more hours! Add the lack of exorcize, which causes obesity, and thus it's own list of health problems, and a gaming addiction can become a real problem.

That’s it. That’s both sides of the coin as I see it.

So. Agree? Disagree? Got a point or two I missed? Do share. I wouldn’t mind this becoming a discussion on the matter.

This month I'll be doing something different. I'm going to do a two-part conversation about the good and bad sides of modern gaming. Please, don't run too fast from this. I hope I'll touch on things you've never considered, on both sides of the coin.

This is by no means intended to be law. I am just offering my observations, experiences, and personal opinions on the matter. I hope you will read objectively, and at the end, share your thoughts, be they in agreement or disagreement with the following statements.

This post, I'll be focusing on several aspects of playing video games I think are actually beneficial.

Social Skills

“You nuts? How can gaming help anyone’s social skills? You don’t meet anyone!”

Many MMO’s have a pretty heavy social aspect that is often missed. I’ve made good friends whom I’ve only met while playing Perfect World International (another MMO). We’ve never met in person, but we have strong bonds that remain today.

The thing you have to understand, is most MMO’s are a lot more than just staring at the screen all day. You’re interacting with other human beings, and via digital link or not, those human beings have personalities you have to interact with. They’re just as diverse online as they are in person. You have the jerks, the jocks, the nut-cases, the quiet types, the foolish types, the ones who will listen and teach, the ones who will give what they have to help another, it’s all there! The more you play, the more types you see.

In Perfect World, there are groups known as "factions" where like-minded players can gather to help each other out. They also tend to do a great many things together, and not just quests or dungeons. There are several chat channels in the game, one of which is restricted to your faction. Anyone in your faction can see and use this channel. Between quests, or even during, conversations are almost always going on, covering every topic under the sun. Be it a random conversations about sport or a famous person, or a more game centered debate about the best weapon for a certain class, or the joksters putting on a show, the only difference was the conversations were done via in-game chat instead of in person.

The faction I was in, known as "Nemesis", often enjoyed joking at our own expense too. Every year, factions fight for control of territory, and each faction get's their own color on the map. One year, our was a hot pink. I'm dead serious. It was a scorching bright pink that had no place on such map. Oh my gosh we had laughs at that! For two months we even changed our logo to a hot pink pig-head just to make fun of ourselves. When that ended, we went back to the other easy laugh. One class of character was female only. No male version possible. But male players played them as much as any other. However, this did not prevent other players from hitting on them anyway. More than a few of us were on the floor when we heard the tale of some guy delivering the perfect pick-up line - or the world's worst -, followed by the player revealing they were actually male. The response was always the same.

"Oh." *Awkward silence.*

Nemesis was more than a hang-out however. As I said, each week, factions fight for territory in battles known as "Territory Wars" These battles can be as large as 80 vs 80. That’s 80 players that have to work together to achieve success. Those that don’t work together well, don’t organize well, that don’t listen and react well, are the groups that don’t win. And let me tell you, such battles are far more than staring at a screen. 80 players, all calling targets, directing traffic, and reporting on various aspects of the battle, there’s a lot going on there.

It can go deeper than that too. The image above? That's a patch I made for my faction mates as a reminder. I'd spent four years with them, and when we were at our best, our name fit our group very well. In battle, we were a combat unit with a well built hierarchy. A perfectly oiled machine that would do any general proud for our ability and team-work. When our lead said attack, the enemy felt the full force of our faction. She directed us with laser precision, as well as a keen sense of responsibility. She owned her mistakes, and asked the same of us.

But more than that, we were a family. I mean it. All those crazy conversations, the long hours chatting about nothing, the nights spent arguing over wither Barbarians should carry axes or hammers, it brought us together like nothing else. At our peak, we had gathered a group of 170 people who loved playing with each other. We were all crazy enough to be committed, friendly enough to enjoy, and selfless enough to help each other improve. When the faction finally had to disband (long story there), many felt the pain for real. It’s not that different than a championship high-school football team that’s all graduating. We’d just won the territory war season, and the leader wanted us to end on a high instead of crumbling like so many gaming factions do. A process that at the time, had already begun. Our run was over, but we were going to miss each other. So I made a patch. A physical thing we could all have to help us remember all the amazing times we had together. Yeah, we liked each other that much. Got several of them crying too when they read the poem I sent with it.

Many of the skills learned can transfer to the real world. You have to know how to interact with people. True, it’s different in person, but what you learn online can train your brain with the concepts. Be it keeping your cool with the jerks, knowing how to gently open someone’s shell, or finding the words someone will hear and learn from, you’d be surprised just how much transfers.

That and after leading a squad in one of those 80 vs 80 fights, you can’t help developing leadership skills. The ones that let you lead your squad, while following the orders of the faction leader. Oh yes, those skills transfer. I blame Nemesis for much of my confidence today. Before them, I had never, not once, taken command of something and had it go well. In Nemesis, I led squads successfully many times. I learned how to do so there, and have refined those skills in the real world.

Awareness and reaction:

Quite often in video game combat, less than a split second can be the difference between life and death. Be it an incoming missile, a tank you just noticed, or an enemy mage about to fire off the mother of all skills, you often have very little time to react. Anyone who’s ever spent time sniping in Call of Duty or Halo can attest to the awareness and timing required to catch a target at the optimal point in his patrol.

In that same thread, you have to know what’s going on around you. Remember those 80x80 fights I mentioned? If you don’t see the enemy squad coming, it quite often means the end of yours. Similarly, waiting until their attack squads leave the base to make your run can mean lots of damage done before they can get back to take you out. In many ways, video game combat is just like real combat. You have to know what’s going on and react to it NOW!

This does bleed into real-life as the ability to asses and react can transfer. A fire breaks out at work. You know where the fire extinguisher is, you can see it’s a simple trash fire, and before your panicked boss can hit the fire alarm, you’ve got it out. Traffic accident? Again, your mind is trained to keep calm and think while acting at the same time.

Believe me, there is nothing more terrifying in those 80x80 fights than twenty-plus mages, archers, and heavy armor characters thundering your way. Panic leads to death. Quick, effective thinking leads to, at worst, a retreat that nets no less. At best, a combined counter attack that leaves them dead instead of you.

Oh yeah, it helps a lot to multi-task too. You learn fast what to watch, what to ignore, and how to monitor things without much effort. This too transfers well.

Budgeting/organizing

Many, many, many, games have one of two things; some kind of currency, or limited inventory space. A great many have both. There’s nothing more agonizing to a gamer than having to choose between the assault rifle of their dreams, and the armor plating that can withstand a tank shell. But because there’s only so much space in their inventory, they have to leave one behind. This forces them to think critically about what they really need and/or want. They can’t have it all, so they have to settle for what they want most or feel they need the most.

Similarly, when currency is involved, you have to be careful where and how you spend your money. Sure, there’s an assault rifle that has nice damage for only 200 whatever, but buying it now may mean you can’t get that mega-awesome-chain-gun that costs 4,000 whatever. So what do you do? Well, many gamers find gear that works well enough for the time being until they can save up for what they really want. I myself while playing Perfect World had to pass on buying some decent skill books and armor so I could later afford to get the best of the best. I found gear that kept me alive and did enough damage, and I worked hard to learn how to make it work. In fact, many players skipped their level 80 gear for just that reason. The level 70 gear was good enough, and the level 80 gear wasn’t that much of an upgrade. It just wasn’t worth the time/effort to get it.

This transfers to the real world in the same way. We’ve all had to make do with not-the-best stuff so we could get what we really wanted. You only need to look at cars to see the value there. Until you can get the car you want, you often have to settle for one that serves your needs for the time being. The only reason I would want a Galaxy S5 smart phone is because I’m quite sure it would last me a long, long time, just as my five year old computer has and likely will for a few more years yet.

The inventory space problem helps too. You can only fit so much stuff in certain places, which means you have to decide what to take and what to leave. So what goes on your vacation? Your favorite tent, or your scuba gear? Can’t have both.

Fight Picking

I suppose this would fall under social skills, but it’s somehow its own note. Be which fights you can win, or simply which yelling matches to join, you have to learn when to let it go. You’ll get plenty of jerks and bullies online. Sometimes, it really is best to ignore it, hard as that may be. Other times, you can take action. Kick them from your squad, report them to their faction leader. Once you do that, I’ve found it’s best to leave it at that. You’ve done your part. The rest is in the hands of someone else now.

As for combat, discretion really is the better part of valor. You know the one thing our leader told us to focus on above all else? Survival. Dead soldiers can’t help the fight. We would often fall back to preserve the lives of our group so we could better fight later. That said, sometimes a noble sacrifice matters too. Yeah, you died, but you held their advance, or you stripped a high-powered enemy of their buffs, or perhaps you killed their best fighter. Knowing when to run and when to fight can and will decide battles.

In the real world, you gotta learn when to just let it go (insert “Frozen” spoof here). You could make a big stink about something you feel is wrong, or match a negative attitude with one of your own. But what would that really get you? Are you sure it’s worth the cost? Not always, and that’s when you let it be. You stand when you must, but only when you must, and done appropriately.

Distraction

There is nothing more mindless than grinding through scores of monsters that are no threat to you and are easy to kill. However doing so can be exactly what you need to get over a bad day, or a disturbed mood, or simply to wind down at the end of the night.

“Killing dozens of monsters is a way to wind down?”

When you’re killing each one with one or two blows and they couldn’t kill you if you tried, oh yeah. It’ll settle your emotions down real quick. There may be times where you need that. There have been nights where I needed to come down off a day. Good, bad, somehow energizing, whatever the reason, I needed my mind elsewhere. This was one way to do so.

There’s also the focus needed though. Many dungeons need a squad to work well together. Each person must do their job well and right, which requires skill and attention. Too much attention to allow a rotten mood to survive. It all gets pushed aside so you can keep your squad alive or be healing them. Or in my case, making sure the big, bad, lethal boss is attacking me and only me (known as “tanking”) while making sure I stay alive myself. It takes a great deal of effort to maintain the attention, or "aggro", of that boss, while four of your friends are dealing massive damage to it. If you fail, they'll get aggro, they’ll die, then you will follow, and most often, all will be very unhappy with you. This level of focus forces your mind away from the negative emotion and allows it to reset. The mind will come down from that emotion, allowing you you to think clearly again.

Of course sometimes the act of tanking can leave you juiced as well, but we’ll talk about that another time.

That’s all for now. On the 21st, I’ll cover things about gaming that can be not so good.

In the mean-time… Agree? Disagree? Got a point or two I missed? Do share. I wouldn’t mind this becoming a discussion on the matter.

Just the other night, I had to deal with a rattlesnake. It's nothing new to me. As a Southern California resident, we all grew up learning all we needed to know about them. But this was the first time I was tasked with killing one.Thing is, he was curled up in my front yard. I think he was sleeping. Our dog went right by him, and he didn't react. However, I wasn't about to go for the kill with him in striking position. So I kept checking on him, waiting for him to stretch out. During that time, I generated, and rejected, some ideas about how to get at him even so. Were I better with a gun, I would have tried that.Then at last, he moved. My older brother held the light, and I held the shovel. I stalked him as he began inching toward the brush. He was all stretched out now. He knew of me, of that I was certain. He just didn't care. I got as close as I needed to while watching his neck carefully. If he turned toward me, I would need to retreat or strike in an instant. But he never did. Finally, I was in position. The shovel light in my hands. My arms tense. My legs were ready to go where needed. In one thrust I landed the blade right behind his head. He never even rattled. One blow was all I needed. I'd just taken a bit of a risk with my life, and won.And not once was I afraid.Afterward I realized I had been channeling one of my characters. The main character of a sci-fi that's in the works talks about having a "switch". An almost tangible change from normal to combat mode. When it "flips", fear is there only to keep him aware and alert. Otherwise, it might as well not be there. He's cool, collected, careful of course, but still very determined in his goal at the moment. A state I never thought I had, until I was staring down a rattlesnake without fear. Well okay, not so much without fear as without it getting in the way. It kept me careful, but I was never anything but confident.It's not the the first time my characters have left their mark on me. Another thing this particular character has left me with is the phrase "small favors". It's a comment on little good things in the middle of a not-so-good situation.For example: "Tire's flat on the highway.""Look on the bright side, it's nice and cool, and there's no rain.""Small favors."Not quite a dismissal, though in the novel (you can read it later), it started as something else and it just never went away.Still, I find my worlds and characters are leaving their mark on me even though in theory, they are a part of me already. Does make me wonder. Are they changing me, or am I learning about myself as I develop them?Even characters buried in my writing que, yet to be touched, are having an effect. From the werewolf forcing me to look at issues from different sides, to the dragon teaching me about letting others in, to the young factory worker telling me to make my choices then accept the consequences. So many things I never knew about myself are coming to light as I explore these fictional worlds.It's all rather fascinating. Not to mention a bit encouraging. If they're making such an impact on me, perhaps that means they'll make the same or more on my readers.